My Bad

Bloggers have been discussing plagiarism as it relates to images. While I have strong opinions about “regular” plagiarism, I’ve been sloppy with respect to pics. For the ones on Pixabay, they say no attribution is necessary, so I’ve been taking them at their word there. I also don’t bother crediting the ones from Pexels which are right here on the WordPress tab ~ it literally says “free photo library.” However… I can see that people might get confused and believe they are my photos when they aren’t. 🤯

Obviously the pictures from the Happy Color app are not mine, since the HC logo appears in the image itself. I see no need to be redundant and state it again, though I was doing so at first. And bitmojis are from their own app, even if not marked (not my problem ~ I’ve been putting “bitmoji” in the alt text lately). But my own photos (or ones I’m using with permission from family) should be noted, just to discourage others from believing they were found on a free site. I probably should put a mark on them, not that it couldn’t be chopped off. Such a pain. I’ll get right on it…

The main problem is google images. I have some on here, uncredited. I think I used to say I found an image on google, but then figured eh why bother. Google doesn’t need my help in promotion, plus saying you found an image by grabbing it off google doesn’t really give credit to the copyright holder if there is one. That’s like saying hey thanks big box store where I stole a little piece of candy! I’m sure the big boxers are grateful for the mention. 🙄

Think about it. If you take a photo of your lunch today and plop it on your blog, after a while it will end up in the great googly image warehouse. Next year, someone googles “bagel sandwich” and finds your photo, saves it, and plops it on their blog. They state: “found on google.” How does this give you any credit for your photo? It doesn’t. But at least this other blogger isn’t saying she took the photo herself. I guess that’s something.

Anyway, henceforth and forthwith I vow to be clearer with image crediting until I forget again. When I do inevitably forget, here’s a rule of thumb: bad photos are mine; good photos are someone else’s. Hope that helps! 🤣

~*~

Images from the Bitmoji app and Paula Light’s personal collection.

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Worth A Thousand Words?

In her series of posts about posts, Dr Tanya @ Salted Caramel asks about using images.

1. How important are images to a blog post?

I didn’t use to place importance on images, unless a post was about travel or a recipe. To me, blogging is writing, not comics. And I feel the same about twitter. But I am in the minority ~ people are visual, even on these alleged written media. To grow an audience, you have to give the people what they want. At first, I didn’t care about that, but when I began to care (around the time I published my first Kindle book), I started using more images. Now, I wouldn’t dream of posting without an image (if I don’t, my pink cupcake icon will still show up with my post in readers), though I’m fine with bloggers who don’t bother with images. In fact, I have to respect them for that.

2. What is tbe role of images in blog traffic and reader engagement?

I don’t know. I assume they help drive it up because I read this when I looked for tips. But I don’t have a direct comparison of my own before/after, since at the same time I began using more images I also began posting more frequently and commenting more often on new blogs.

3. How many images on average do you use in a blog post?

For a prompt post like this with a few questions I use one image only, and the same goes for a poem or a piece of flash fiction. I also generally use a single image for my own prompts: The Monday Peeve, Thursday Inspiration, Flashback Friday. When a post is longer, I may use more images. In my series fiction, I’ve been up to 3 or 4 in an 800 word post.

I’ve become stressed out over images for the series fiction, and I wish I’d just stuck with the same one from the beginning all the way through. First, it’s super hard to find what I want. Sometimes I spend longer looking for the damn images than writing the story… and even then they’re not right. Second, I can’t get the same person in the images, which bugs the hell out of me. So, Kevin grew a beard? Ugh. Third, the free sites that allow you to use unattributed images are so limited, and often their stuff is ridiculous, so I’m forced to google and hope I haven’t stolen something. It’s really stressful! I won’t write this way again. One image, straight through. That way also, people will know it’s the same story coming up.

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Random Wednesday Rant

Many of us have prompts and also share prompts, which is great and fun. We’re a really cool community imo. I think we’re actually better since the demise of the official WordPress Daily Prompt. Now we have so many interesting words and games and photos around Blogland to motivate our creativity and create interaction… yay!

However. 🙄

What is with the obsessive reblogging and overquoting? Please don’t merely “like” this post because that’s annoying. Answer the question. Be honest. Do you reblog when someone replies to your prompt because you believe it’s your mission to get them seen by new readers and perhaps liked and followed? Or do you simply want your name in the newsfeed again? I have my theory, of course. 😎

Now, onto the quoting. We all want to be given credit for our words. But why isn’t a simple link back enough? Generally, when I do a word prompt, I link the word in my story/poem/rant/essay without further explanation. If I’m playing a game or using a photo, I will include a line with a link. If I’m copying a question or a pile of ’em, I’ll say so. But I don’t copy more than what is necessary. Why would I cut and paste an entire post? I don’t get that. Many times, the quoted part is longer than what the poster adds, making the post look lopsided. Forex, cutting and pasting 30 lines of directions for a 3-line haiku. Think about what your post looks like on the page. 🧐

Also, there are times when I haven’t read the original, so I’m not even sure where it leaves off and the new stuff begins. Earlier I read someone asking that something be kept family friendly. So much was quoted I couldn’t tell if it was the prompter asking it from writers, or the new poster asking it from commenters. This isn’t the first time quoted material blended into new writing… it happens frequently with different bloggers. There is no reason to quote such vast amounts of material! 🤯

End rant.

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Neato!

A big thanks goes out to Dr Tanya of Salted Caramel for thinking of me for the Real Neat Blog Award. Much appreciated! 😻

Now, while I don’t make up my own new questions or tag peeps on these type of posts, I will try to answer the tagger’s questions if I have time. And I do. 🎉

Dr Tanya’s Questions:

Is yours a hobby blog or a professional blog? 

-I have a paid WordPress plan to get rid of the disgusting ads, but it’s still a hobby.

How do you manage to fit blogging in with your other activities?

-Whenever I have time. Tonight it’s after 10pm, and I’ve finished my extra work, so I read some new posts and started on these questions.

How much time do you spend on WordPress every day (just a guesstimate, of course)?

-Anywhere from zero (rare) to 6 hours (also rare), if I’m writing a lot of fiction. Usually around 2-3 hours.

Do you use social media to promote your blog or vice versa?

-Neither. My posts flip to Twitter, but that hardly generates any WP traffic. And I’m not one to badger people here to follow me there because idc.

What is your favourite leisure activity?

-Playing board games.

Name three favourite books.

-The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Kundera; Where I’m Calling From by Carver; Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Murakami.

What was the last book you read/movie you watched?

-I just watched Atlantic City tonight while I was editing. I’d never seen it before! It’s an excellent movie. Really enjoyed it.

Goodnight!

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

It’s Raining Liebsters!

Two, count ’em two, lovely bloggers have awarded me the coveted Liebster, yayyy! Thank you Sadje and Di! This is better than making the NYT bestseller list, which is what I told them there when they asked if I had time to fly to NYC, all comped at the Plaza Hotel for interviews and promos and stuff. Nope! I said, no can do. I’m gonna deal with this double Liebster thingie. They said they understood cuz they had been waiting their whole lives for Liebsters.

Well, I got two. Have I mentioned? Neener!

First, I’m supposed to reveal 11 things about myself. This is probably per award, but eff that.

1. I have over 2,600 blog followers now, which includes Twitter. 🎃

2. My general rule is that I don’t follow back new followers unless they comment.

3. This is only a general rule ~ if I visit them and they’re awesome, I will f/b.

4. I like to follow fiction writers and poets who post their craft, not endlessly moan about stuff or post business stats gabble.

5. Generally, I don’t jabber on here about the news, but I may comment elsewhere.

6. I used to post a lot about my personal life, but I’ve grown incredibly bored with it.

7. That’s because I now live an incredibly boring life, which is how I like it. 🙃

8. I don’t believe that the saying about how you should slide screaming into your grave covered in chocolate because you’ve just failed at an exotic thrill applies to me.

9. I would rather expire quietly while reading a good book and having a nice cup of tea. 📖

10. I may have gotten that quote wrong in #8 but am too lazy to look it up.

11. I am writing this in a Starbucks.

Sadje’s Questions:

1. Are you a serious blogger or just having fun here?

-Yes.

2. What was the reason that made you start a blog?

-This blog? Heartbreak.

3. Take a while to think and let us know: what object that is in your reach right now, influences you? ( e g a tv)

-Phone in my hand. 📱

4. How do you relax?

-Happy Color.

5. Are you superstitious?

-Yes, but it’s silly.

6. Loyalty to the one you love, or one who is right?

-Love always.

7. How can we improve the environment of our planet? Do you take any practical steps towards it?

-It’s really sad that this has become political. Isn’t it in everyone’s interest to have a clean, safe home? It doesn’t have to be tied to climate change, for those who don’t believe humans cause it… but we could all agree to do a better job with the air and water we all need to live. 🌍

8. What is one habit you have that you or your family think is childish?

-I still talk/write in lolcat at times, but so do my girls. We mostly only do this with each other now, since it is silly. 😻

Apparently Sadje only wrote 8 questions, which is great, since I am also about to break the rules and not do any questions or tag any bloggers. OMG! But wait. I will now answer Di’s questions, so that’s something, right? Right! 💖

Di’s Questions:

1. How did you meet your significant other ?

-At the Orange County Animal Shelter.

2. What would you consider the perfect gift to receive ?

-Amazon gift certificate.

3. What would be the worst gift for you to receive ?

-Any gift you have to spend money on, like tickets to a thing you have to travel to.

4. Holidays: Flight, cruise, coach or camping ?

-Staycation please! Love to chill at home and do local low-stress, low-cost fun.

5. Dining out: steak, salad bar, vegetarian, pizza, Indian, Chinese, other ?

-Vegetarian or veggie pizza. I’m not a veggie, but I mostly prefer those choices.

6. Have you ever taken a first aid course ?

-Nope.

7. Alcoholic drink: beer, spirit, wine, cider, liqueur, none ?

-None.

8. Biggest wish ?

-Good health and happiness for my daughters and their families.

9. Biggest fear ?

-Opposite of 8.

10. Do you prefer to cook on gas, electric, other ?

-Cook? 🤣

11. Movies:  comedy, thriller, romcom, animated, sci fi, musical, other?

-Romcom or drama/mystery. Sometimes a musical, but mostly like the older ones.

Great questions! That’ll do me for the week, at least. 👻

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

TWS: Family Time

I had a lovely day yesterday. I drove up to LA to visit my daughter, SIL, and grand baby. It was my first “official” visit to their new condo, so I brought flowers (pictured) and a few other goodies. My daughter made lunch ~ she’s such a good cook ~ and we all hung out for the afternoon. I stayed longer than I planned to because it was hard to tear myself away from the baby. She’s walking all over the place now and babbling all the words. It’s just adorable!

Driving home was tiring… over an hour in yucky late afternoon traffic. I planned to do some work and catch up on blog stuffs last night, but my eyes wanted to close. I put on Crazy People starring Dudley Moore and Daryl Hannah, which was mildly funny, and zoned out with that instead.

I know that memories of yesterday with my family will keep me smiling all week!

Written for Trent’s Weekly Smile.

~*~

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©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Some Light Housekeeping

First, my apologies for unfollowing and re-following some of you tonight. A handful of you were in my list twice, and due to my OCD I had to delete you and add you back. For whatever reason, WordPress did not allow me to simply delete the duplicates. That would be too convenient. 🙄

I discovered something interesting. The list of blogs on the WP app manager does not show all the blogs I follow. I always knew it couldn’t possibly be complete as it was way too short. What’s weird is how random it was though. Some bloggers I interact with daily were there (Fandango, forex), but others weren’t (Ashleyleia, forex). It also included others who haven’t posted a thing in 6 months.

Even curiouser, when I unfollowed some of those inactive bloggers, others then popped in (such as Ashleyleia). I spent quite some time “curating” this list, though I know I should peruse the real list on a browser to get the full picture. I’m sure there must be dozens of inactive blogs floating around in my actual list even after this hosing.

I deleted some active blogs too… ones focused on topics I’m just not into, such as pure photography and recipes without much chitchat. Business blogs, advice and self-help stuff. And call me ageist if you want, but I’m not so much into the student bloggery. They have their peeps; they don’t need Grandma.

There’s just so much! I need to have some filters, however arbitrary. I want to read other writers who post a lot.

But not too much! Cuz that’s annoying, as discussed.

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

The Monday Peeve 4

Smiles and positive posts are all well and good, but sometimes I need to vent a bit. How about you? That’s what The Monday Peeve is all about, a chance to blow off a little steam at the beginning of the week, so then we can go merrily on our way once again (hah). I’ll pick a topic that’s on my mind, but you can vent about whatever you please, here in comments or on your own blog. Grab the photo, use the #TMP tag, and link back to me (or not ~ I dgaf), and Bob’s yer uncle. I do reserve the right to delete any links that offend my delicate sensibilities. So far, none have, but it could happen! I have feelings!

Here we go then with today’s…

Recently I unfollowed some bloggers, but it’s not because they said anything offensive. Some of them I actually like. But I want to be fair, and if a few people are posting like mad while others stick to (what I consider) a more reasonable schedule, then the mad posters dominate my feed. I’m not about to change my habits and receive posts by email to make sure I don’t miss my “faves.” Why not? Because I don’t want to.

To give you an example of what I’m talking about, I just went through and counted the posts that a certain blogger made in a 24-hour period. The total was 50. FIFTY! That is not a reasonable number to me. Most of these were reposts with hundreds of likes already. Why is it necessary to grab more? I don’t know. Probably ad revenue.

Not my problem. I make no money from my blog. This is for fun, and I have no interest in helping people make money from their posts. Get a real job. Write a book. Whatever. But don’t spam me. I am finding myself increasingly peeved about reposts. I don’t mean hey here’s a funny post from 3 years ago you might want to check out… no, I’m talking about the spam type of repost. When I see I’ve already liked a post, and recall reading it recently, I have to wonder why it’s floating through again except to annoy me. Don’t be a feed hog! Let posts from other bloggers have a chance to be seen!

Bottom line: Don’t make my blog reading experience inconvenient for me. If you do, you risk the unfollow click.

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.

Monday Monday

Why the heck am I posting about Monday on a Saturday, you ask? Okay, possibly it’s Sunday off in New Zealand or wherever, idk. But the point is we should be soaking up every delicious morsel of weekend fun without worrying about Monday ookies.

However!

There’s an exception to every rule. Well, maybe not to the rule that says there’s an exception to every rule because then that would mean there’d be no exception to… huh? Let me untangle my brain. K.

THE POINT IS… I forgot what the point is. Oh yeah. I’m going to start a new prompt on Monday! Wahooooo! It’s actually an old prompt called The Monday Peeve that I used to have on an old blog. People liked it, many people… 😂. Now that Di has stepped up to do the 3TC, I have only my Thursday Inspiration, so I’m free for another weekly prompt. This one is fun!

However2! This prompt probably won’t be for everyone, and that’s okay. Some of you like to stick with the uplifting, cheerful, positive posts, which I understand. TMP is gonna be about venting ~ some of us need that sometimes. I know I do! I’ll start with a theme, and those who wish to participate can stay with my theme or post about whatever peeve is on their mind, since there’s nothing more annoying than someone telling you what to vent about when you’re in the mood to vent!

However3! I do reserve the right not to accept linkbacks to any posts I find personally offensive, which could be any damn thing. You never know. But you should know. You know? Just be a normal decent human being ~ is that too much to ask?

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon

Blogger Leadership Award

I would like to extend a hearty thanks to Rory @ A Guy Called Bloke for gifting me this award a few days ago. I don’t see myself as a leader, so I was very surprised by his kindness. 💖

The award was created by Nova @ Nova’s Namaste 365 Online: “This was created to nominate 1-2 individuals who have exemplified noticeable and noteworthy leadership. That could be in any way. There’s no questions or need to thank me. I also don’t require you to nominate others, although I think it would be a kind gesture.”

The lovely thing about this award is that it truly is a gift. The presenters are simply mentioning a few bloggers for their recent noteworthy contributions to the blogging community and thanking them for it. Nothing is required of them. 🙂

Today I would like to present the award to Di @ Pensitivity101 and Jim @ A Unique Title For Me.

Di has consistently great posts about a variety of topics ~ health & diet, recipes, a variety of humor slices, her sweet dog Maggie, family life, home repair, etc., plus lovely fiction and poetry, and now she’s stepped up to host the 3TC Challenge to boot. Definitely leadership quality there, Di! 🎉

Jim is hilarious, but you have to read his posts carefully to find all the gems. He often does fabulous mashups of song lyrics, turning them into mini-stories, and I’m not ashamed to admit I stole this idea for a few of my own. Jim has been hosting the very popular Song Lyric Sunday for some time now, and he also shares hosting of other prompts too. He is a worthy recipient of this award! 🎶

Happy weekend, everyone! 😻

~*~

©️2019 Paula Light and Light Motifs II. No unauthorized use permitted. Please check out Paula’s books for sale on Amazon.